Two-time IWLCA All-American Danielle Spencer, second all-time at NU with 203 career draw controls, was among the Wildcat players chosen to the U.S. National Team.Two-time IWLCA All-American Danielle Spencer, second all-time at NU with 203 career draw controls, was among the Wildcat players chosen to the U.S. National Team.

Six Current, Former 'Cats Named to U.S. Senior National Team

Aug. 1, 2011

View the Complete 2011-12 U.S. National Team Roster

BALTIMORE, Md. -- U.S. Lacrosse selected six current and former Northwestern players to the 2011-12 senior national team, the organization announced Sunday following a three-day tryout in Baltimore. The 36-player squad was chosen from more than 80 candidates and will lay the foundation for the team that will compete in the 2013 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup in Oshawa, Ontario.

The list of Wildcats named to the roster is below along with their year of graduation:

Sarah Albrecht (2006)
Katrina Dowd (2010)
Lindsey Munday (2006)
Shannon Smith (2012)
Danielle Spencer (2010)
Taylor Thornton (2013)

Northwestern's six representatives on the squad marked the second-highest contingent of any university. Smith, the 2011 Tewaaraton Award winner, and Thornton, last season's IWLCA Defender of the Year, are among nine players on the roster returning to the college game for the 2012 season.

Northwestern players have featured in key roles for the American national team in the past, including in June of 2009 when the U.S. won its sixth FIL World Cup. Albrecht, Munday and Kristen Kjellman (2006) all scored goals in a championship game win over Australia in that event.

The 2011-12 team will convene for several events between now and next summer including Stars & Stripes Weekend in October and the Champion Challenge in January. The team members also will conduct a number of player clinics throughout the year at various sites around the country.

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